StandUpMigranten: The Role of Television Comedy for the Discourse on Migration in Germany

Abstract

Dominant positions shape political discourse. They are brought forth by politicians and journalists alike, and impact social reality. With regard to migration discourse, strong images of repulsion, such as ‘Fortress Europe’, perpetuate a highly conservative stance. Nevertheless, these images can be subverted through comedy. The paper reviews the German television comedy show StandUpMigranten, which revolves around topics of immigration to Germany. Comedy subverts stereotypical depictions of immigrants and discusses them against the backdrop of comedy theory and its role in public discourse.